Odisha revises reservation policy in higher education, increases quota for SC, ST, SEBC
Updated: Apr 5th, 2026
The Odisha government has revised the reservation policy in higher educational institutions for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC). The changes were approved during a late-night cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
The government has increased reservation quotas for higher education, ST at 22.5%, SC 16.25%, and SEBC 11.25%, bringing the total to 50%. Officials clarified that this structure was carefully devised so that the combined reservations do not exceed the Supreme Court’s 50 per cent ceiling, thereby avoiding legal complications and ensuring compliance with national guidelines.
Revised Quota System
As per the new structure:
ST reservation has been increased from 12% to 22.5%
SC reservation has been raised from 8% to 16.25%
SEBC (OBC category) has been allocated 11.25% reservation for the first time in higher technical education.
Big boost for medical, engineering aspirants
The decision will directly impact thousands of students seeking admission to professional courses.
In medical colleges, out of 2,421 seats:
545 seats will now be allotted to ST students, up from 290
393 seats to SC students, up from 193
272 seats will be reserved for SEBC candidates
In the engineering sector, out of 44,579 seats:
10,030 seats will go to ST students
7,244 seats to SC students
The revised reservation policy will also apply to universities, ITIs, polytechnics, and courses such as Ayurveda and Agriculture.
Govt justifies move
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the decision is aimed at ensuring social justice and equal opportunities. “This step has been taken to provide rights according to population and to empower underrepresented communities,” he said.
Implementation from the upcoming academic session
Officials indicated that the new reservation structure is likely to be implemented from the upcoming academic session. Institutions across Odisha have been asked to prepare updated seat matrices and admission processes in line with the revised quotas.
